I think I posted about this somewhere else. The entire discussion around prices is so America-centric. The entire industry, not just Nintendo, waited to raise prices in America due to the size of that market. Bigger market means bigger risk and as we’ve seen bigger backlash. Whenever there’s even a little increase in America, it overshadows the steady and cumulatively large increase that has happened in other regions. I keep hearing people in America bringing up the whatif of $100 games in the future (especially for GTA) but once you convert it, that’s already going to be the reality for first-party Switch 2 game RRP in Europe.
Realistically, America has been in a privileged position with game prices for two or three generations now. I’m not going to mince words on that. As long as I’ve been alive, gaming never rose with inflation there, it was always passed onto other countries. You finally got a little increase after other countries were making up for the lack of increase there for years. Even in my country, games didn’t quite rise gracefully with inflation, but AUD is wack anyway because we peaked so hard after the GFC got everyone. I’m not happy to see it (all these profits go to a terrible government and big companies, I take no schadenfreude in that), but I am frustrated that this has been happening in my country for ages to crickets in the general gaming community. Try a $30 increase from PS4 to PS5. Try a $35 increase from ToTK to MKWorld. 3DS games were under half the price of a PS5 or Switch 2 game here. Metal Gear Delta is kinda the only other thing I want this year, that and Doom and Konami have the nerve to set it as a $130 title here.
I’m just going to be blunt, Americans aren’t used to the price increases on gaming (or many things in general) which other countries have subsidised. That combined with the size of the country is why the backlash is so big, but as an onlooker, it’s honestly hard for me to care at all when it comes to video games. I have a friend who collects figures as a hobby and they’re American and the costs on their toys have doubled in the last week or so (tripled in some places, others refuse to ship now). The other night they slept for a couple hours and had a fee added on just in that time. Now I really hope gaming in America doesn’t come to that because if it actually tracks with tarriffs there, then I’ll be incredibly empathetic. I’m saying this to try and offer some perspective, maybe it’s obvious to everyone here and I’m just getting this out because I’m angry but I don’t even think tarriffs hit gaming there and I dread everything about it if they do. Welcome to other countries I guess, let’s not even mention LATAM. I kind of feel like I shouldn’t have butt in but I seriously think the backlash is because the American consumer base isn’t used to it and some of the more reasonable posts combined with a fear of future increases. The rise to $70 back then was honestly a nothingburger though and some other people are still upset about that like jesus man idk.
Realistically, America has been in a privileged position with game prices for two or three generations now. I’m not going to mince words on that. As long as I’ve been alive, gaming never rose with inflation there, it was always passed onto other countries. You finally got a little increase after other countries were making up for the lack of increase there for years. Even in my country, games didn’t quite rise gracefully with inflation, but AUD is wack anyway because we peaked so hard after the GFC got everyone. I’m not happy to see it (all these profits go to a terrible government and big companies, I take no schadenfreude in that), but I am frustrated that this has been happening in my country for ages to crickets in the general gaming community. Try a $30 increase from PS4 to PS5. Try a $35 increase from ToTK to MKWorld. 3DS games were under half the price of a PS5 or Switch 2 game here. Metal Gear Delta is kinda the only other thing I want this year, that and Doom and Konami have the nerve to set it as a $130 title here.
I’m just going to be blunt, Americans aren’t used to the price increases on gaming (or many things in general) which other countries have subsidised. That combined with the size of the country is why the backlash is so big, but as an onlooker, it’s honestly hard for me to care at all when it comes to video games. I have a friend who collects figures as a hobby and they’re American and the costs on their toys have doubled in the last week or so (tripled in some places, others refuse to ship now). The other night they slept for a couple hours and had a fee added on just in that time. Now I really hope gaming in America doesn’t come to that because if it actually tracks with tarriffs there, then I’ll be incredibly empathetic. I’m saying this to try and offer some perspective, maybe it’s obvious to everyone here and I’m just getting this out because I’m angry but I don’t even think tarriffs hit gaming there and I dread everything about it if they do. Welcome to other countries I guess, let’s not even mention LATAM. I kind of feel like I shouldn’t have butt in but I seriously think the backlash is because the American consumer base isn’t used to it and some of the more reasonable posts combined with a fear of future increases. The rise to $70 back then was honestly a nothingburger though and some other people are still upset about that like jesus man idk.
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